A Fair Trade
by soulspark
Summary: A story of two souls in search for the same thing: Soul Edge. Only, they are after it for different reasons. One for revenge, and one to get a friend back. Maxi, a pirate of RyuKyu Kingdom and Seong Mina, a beautiful woman from Jirisan, Korea join together on an adventure. "An Even Trade" follows these two throughout their quest for Soul Edge. (Re-write for "An Even Trade")
1. Restraints

**Hello everyone this is sort of a rewrite for "An Even Trade," because I didn't like how I started that one. So I am taking another crack at it. Leave a review or message me to let me know your thoughts on my decision. There will be bits and pieces from the old story in here. DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANY SOUL CALIBUR CHARACTERS. Okay let's get started shall we?**

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Chapter 1: Restraints

It is the start of a new day. The sky is a refreshing coral color as the sun rises. At Seong Dojang, sounds of contact and battle cries emit throughout the whole place. Nothing but hard work and dedication was seen from all of the divisions. Seong Han Myeong, the head the dojo was pleased with the effort displayed today. Han Myeong was a tall and strong man full of wisdom. He had a long hair that was half brown and gray. Just like every day in the dojo, he wore his dobok and sparred with his students. Today however, he decided to stand back and assess them instead. Han Myeong called over Hwang, his daughter's suitor and next in line to head the dojo. Hwang was a strong fighter and gained much honor from his battles. He wore his usual blue uniform and head band to match. With his Blue Storm in hand, he finished the sparring session he was in and focused his attention to Han Myeong. He rushed over and bowed to him with sincerity.

"Hwang, isn't this just wonderful? I enjoy seeing such perseverance."

"Yes, it certainly is." Hwang said as they walked together down a path. As they walked he happened to notice Seong Mina, who was off to the side looking at the exit of the dojo. "However, I see that your daughter is more uninterested than usual." Hwang added gesturing to Mina.

"Ah yes. It would have been a fully productive day if she would just participate. Would you like to try to get her to practice again? Heaven knows she will not listen to me. Maybe it will work this time. "

Hwang laughed a little. "Yes sir. I will try my best." He gave a quick bow and turned towards Mina's direction. He took a deep breath before turning to Han Myeong.

Han Myeong looked at him and gave him a good luck fist. "Fighting!" he yelled out.

In response, Hwang smiled and nodded. He then took another breath, and proceeded to approach Mina. The rebellious woman had her back turned and was drawing a pattern in the dirt with her finger. She was a natural beauty with her rosy pale skin and long brown hair. The top of the hanbok she wore stopped right under her breasts and the bottom piece had a split down one side. She also had delicate pink flowers going throughout her braid. Truly the picture of beauty. In fact she was the most popular in the village. Feeling Hwang's presence she said, "Yes Hwang?"

"How'd you know it was me?" Hwang said a bit startled.

"I knew because I've turned every man here down but, you keep coming back. Oh and I heard you and my father talking." Mina retorted still drawing her pattern in the dirt.

"Do we always have to start a conversation out like this? I'm beginning to think that you hate me." Hwang said sitting down next to her. He didn't bother to look at her either.

"Hate is not the word Hwang, we've been friends for too long. I can't hate you. I just wish that you would remember that we are _only_ friends."

Hwang was hurt by her wish. He always had feelings for Mina. Hwang had hoped that the arranged marriage would work in his favor, but it only pushed her away. There is no chance that she will ever like him now. "What am I supposed to do Mina? It is your father's order. Everyone else thinks it is a good idea for us to be married. You are the only one against it." Hwang said sternly.

Mina turned and glared at him. "Why can't you say no to this? We are too young and you know that."

"Even if we are, it will be alright. You will get to do plenty of things." Hwang reassured her.

"Really? Like stay inside and tend to your every need? I think not." Mina said before standing up to march away.

Following behind her Hwang tried to slow her down by blocking her. "I will try my hardest to make that the exact opposite. I promise." he said making eye contact with her. Mina still held her glare.

"Leave Hwang. I'm done talking to you." Mina said as she side stepped him. Hwang still continued to block her way. Mina gave him an annoyed look. "Move." Mina ordered.

"Alright, but you have to at least spar with someone okay? That is what your father asked me to get you to do anyway. So, at least do that for him." Hwang pleaded with her. Mina in response just cocked her head to the side and grinned.

"You want me to spar? Okay I'll spar." And with that she gave Hwang a jab to the stomach before walking off to where she wanted to go. Hwang winced in pain.

"Thank you!" Hwang called out to Mina.

"You're welcome!" Mina yelled back in anger.

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**Seong Mina is something isn't she? If you want, tell me what you think about this story so far with a review. Till' next time :)**

**~soulspark**


	2. A Friend Lost

Chapter 2: A Friend Lost

Han Myeong witnessed Mina's rage towards Hwang and sighed. "Seong Mina. Why won't you give Hwang a chance? If you don't agree, I am going to be forced to start the wedding right away." He said sternly to Mina.

Mina looked away from her father. She then walked over and sat by her window. "Father, you know that I love you right?"

"Yes dear." Han Myeong replied as he walked over and sat by the window next to her.

Mina knew that he loved her too, but it just didn't feel like it with all of the pressure he forces on her. She wanted to explore and experience a care-free life. Mina was not ready to be obligated to someone just yet. It wasn't that Hwang isn't a decent person, he will restrict her immensely and they both knew that. Hwang had no unique qualities about him anyway. He was dominant and controlling like all the other men. Besides, she wanted love to come naturally to her.

"I know your feelings, but you have to recognize our situation. Your mother is no longer with us and it is my job to make sure you have a successful life and pass down our family name." said her father. Just then one of the instructors came in. From the look of his face, it was urgent.

"Sir! There's been an attack in the center of the village!" the man exclaimed.

Completely forgetting about their conversation, Han Myeong turned his attention to the man. "What is this? There is not any time to waste. Quickly retrieve your best students and head out." He then made haste to leave to fight the danger. Mina was frightened for her father for he was getting up there in age and may not be able to handle himself.

"Father wait! I am coming with you!" she yelled out while reaching for her Naginata.

Han Myeong turned quickly to her. "Absolutely not! You are staying here. Do not leave this dojo, it is far too dangerous for you." her father said quite harshly. "Hwang!"

"Yes sir?" Hwang yelled from the hallway as he rushed over.

"Come. You will aid us in this battle." Han Myeong said gesturing to the torch and sword that he held.

"Understood." He said with a quick bow before joining Mina's father. He was halfway out of the door when he remembered about Mina. He only knew one person that he could trust to keep her safe. "Yun-seong! Where is he?" he called out.

Hong Yun-seong was an on and off student at the dojo. He only was there when he felt like being there. When he was there though, he never failed to impress. Without a doubt, he was Hwang's brightest disciple. Like Hwang, he was close friends with Mina. Luckily, he was there today. "I am here sir, what's going on?" replied the red-haired docent.

"An attack. You must stay here and protect Mina. Do not fail me." Hwang said firmly while pointing at Yun-seong.

"Understood sir." Yun-seong said with a bow.

Hwang nodded and gave Mina one last glance before running out of the dojo. Mina tried to follow him, but Yun-seong grabbed her. "Let me go Yun-seong, my father is out there!" she cried trying to squirm out of his grasp. Eventually, she was able to slip from him and she bolted for the door.

Yun-seong reached the door first. He quickly got on the opposite side of the door and closed it. Putting all of his weight on the door, he barred it, making it practically impossible for her to open it. "Can't do that Mina. You heard Hwang. You ain't going anywhere." Mina used her shoulder in attempt to push the door open, but it was no use.

"I can handle myself you idiot! Back away!" Mina said giving the door a couple more pushes. Seeing how futile it was, she stopped trying. Then just began to cry instead. She slid down the door and held her head.

Hearing her sobs, Yun-seong was surprised. "M-Mina? Are you crying? If you think crying is gonna make me open this door, you're wrong."

She wasn't trying to get him to open the door. Mina was genuinely saddened by the fact that her father might die. Her father was all that she had left. If he died now, she would not know what to do with herself. "Yeah, I'm crying. So what? My father is out there and just might never come back." She said while wiping a tear.

Feeling that Mina relaxed off of the door. He gave the door some slack. "I know your father Mina, he is strong and more than capable. Stop being such a baby."

"I'm older than you! You're the baby here." Mina retorted.

"Oh and just so you know you owe me big time for this. I should be out there fighting instead of babysitting you."

"Then why aren't you? Just like me, you are too weak and it's dangerous." Mina said hoping to damage his pride a bit.

"Shut-up! what do you know? I'm probably the strongest one in this whole entire dojo!"

"Really? Then you wouldn't be here if that was the case, now would you?" Mina replied.

Furious, Yun-seong clawed at his hair to get his anger out. "Listen here old lady, I'm here to do my job. Not to get harassed by you okay? So put a sock in it."

Mina got up and kicked the door. Yun-seong gasped in surprise. She then sat back down and tried to occupy herself to pass the time. From all the crying and anger, she developed a headache. That headache put her right to sleep.

Seong Mina woke to the noise of chatter and footsteps outside the door. She got up and rushed to get outside. As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by a familiar face. It was Han Myeong. She gave him a big hug. "I am so glad that you are safe, Father." she said as she hugged him tighter.

"Why wouldn't I be? Don't you know who I am dear?" he said as he hugged her back tighter. "Where is Yun-seong?

"I don't know. I'll find him though." Mina told her father before running outside. She asked many of the students and instructors. Unfortunately, none of them knew of his whereabouts. She noticed that Hwang came back as well. He was helping a student with their form. "Hwang have you seen Yun-seong anywhere?"

"No. I wouldn't know anyway, he almost never shows up. Aren't you going to ask if I am hurt?" Hwang said with a puppy-dog expression.

"Eww, of course not. Father needs to see him." Mina said giving Hwang a playful punch. Hwang then told her to check with his mother in the village. She followed the trail leading to the residences in the village. Their house looked rugged and strange. Yun -seong's mother, Haerin normally could be seen tending to her garden in the front. However, she was nowhere to be found. The main door was open so, Mina let herself in. "Yun-seong? Mrs. Hong?" she called out but there was no response. The house was in a sham. One of their neighbors noticed Seong Mina. A man that appeared to be in his forties approached her.

"Miss? They have been gone since this morning."

"What? This morning? Did you see them?" Mina questioned the man.

"Mrs. Hong went missing. Her son found out and left to go looking for her. He said he got a note about something called "Soul Edge". Whatever that thing is." said the neighbor.

_Soul Edge? What the hell is that? What has this idiot gotten himself into? Mrs. Hong… _Seong Mina thought to herself. "Mister, did you see where he went?"

"He went out to the harbor and paid for a one-round trip to somewhere. Where was it…" the man tried to recall what Yun-seong said, but it entirely slipped his mind. He apologized.

"Thank you anyway mister." With that, Mina hurried off to find her father. When she reached the dojo there seemed to be some commotion going on. There was a herd of students gathered by their family's sacred room. "Excuse me. Sorry there. Coming through." Mina said as she pushed past the crowd. In front was her father. "Father, what happened?"

"There has been a great thievery here. The family heirloom has been stolen." Han Myeong said with anger.

Seong Mina was in shocked. No one in the dojo dared to lay their lands on the White Storm. She knew who would though if he was crazy enough. Hong Yun-seong.

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**Hey guys. I am sorry for the rewrite, but I felt like I didn't give ya'll enough backstory and character development. Tell me what you think and leave a review if you want :)**

**~soulspark**


	3. Sorry

Ch 3: Sorry

_I know he took it. It had to be him._ Mina thought to herself. She knew that no one would be willing to travel such great lengths for Yun- seong, now that he's done this. Yun- seong was a pain and provoked Mina all the time, but he meant a lot to her. He was there for her when she lost her mother and when she was at her darkest moments. The two were like brother and sister.

Mina knew that finding him wasn't going to be easy. Getting away from her father and Hwang wasn't going to be easy either. The day before her departure, she paid for a boat ride to Japan. She heard some stories about that "Soul Edge" from there so, starting there was ideal. She then stayed in her room and decided on what she should pack. Of course the first thing that she packed was her naginata. She was certain that enemies will come her way. Little by little she filled her bags with clothes, food, maps, and money. Eventually, she finished packing. Han Myeong had not seen Mina all day since she was in her room. He had to tell her something.

"Mina? What have you been doing in there all day?" Han Myeong asked while knocking on Mina's bedroom door.

She had all her bags sprawled out on the floor. If he saw all of that, her adventure would be over before it started. "One minute father!" Mina called out in a rush while stuffing all her belongings under her bed.

"Mina dear…" Han Myeong was getting a little impatient. He then thought of what she'd be doing in there. _Does she have a secret lover in there? _Furious, he rapidly pounded on the door. "Mina! You'd better not have a boy other than Hwang in there!"

Mina finally got the last of her bags under her bed. She then dashed to the door to let her father in. "G-good morning father. What is it?" she greeted him nervously.

Han Myeong took a look around her room. He walked around Mina's room to check for another person or whatever she was hiding. When he found nothing he turned to her. "Mina, what's going on? You are uneasy today."

"Oh I was just…" Mina trailed of a bit to think of a decoy. _If he finds out, I'll never see daylight again! What should I say…? Oh I got it! _"You got me father, I was trying to hide my gift I got you. Way to ruin it. I'll go get it for you." she said as she pretended to get the gift.

Han Myeong absolutely loved surprises. "Wait! Mina I'm sorry dear. I don't want to see it yet. You know I adore surprises." He said while gently stopping Mina. "Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Hwang and I will be leaving this afternoon. We got a chance to take a look at some students from another dojo. We will then see which ones are ready for combat on the battle field."

This was just the thing Mina needed. Her father and Hwang away so that she can escape. Everything was falling in piece. Being careful to not be too excited, she said: "Very nice father! Maybe our ruler will recognize your sense in soldiers and make you a general."

"One can only hope my dear. Please take care while I am gone."

"Will do father. Okay I would like to finish wrapping your present so, shoo please." Mina replied trying to push her father out of the room.

With a chuckle her father replied, "Okay Mina I'll go."

When Han Myeong finally left the room, Mina gave a sigh of relief. Tonight she will sail away to find Yun-Seong. She then remembered that her father and Hwang will be saddened by her sudden disappearance. _I'm sorry, but I just have to do this. Please understand._

All that was left to do was to wait till sundown.

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**Hi guys please feel free to leave a comment or any feedback that you have on this story.**

**~soulspark**


	4. A Dandy Life

Chapter 4: A Dandy Life

It was a bright sunny day on the large vessel. It was on that ship, that a jovial man stayed. Such man went by the name of Maxi. He was captain of the vessel since his father passed away. One could say that he was the chef, navigator, and lookout on the ship as well. For he did all those tasks with ease. He was forced to take on all those jobs since the massacre happened. A lonely pirate of the seas.

You would think that such nice weather would entice the captain to go outside. However, that was not the case. He was not outside, but inside his quarters dozing away. For he had been up all night plotting revenge for his fallen comrades. He could not and would not let the death of his crew be in vain. Too often would the events of the past torment him…

About two years ago:

"Would ya look at that view! I wouldn't ditch this for anything in the world!" Kyam exclaimed to his crew mates.

"It's absolutely wonderful, now would mind doing your job?" Akiho said gesturing to the bunch of unloaded barrels next to Kyam. He had been slacking off lately in response to Maxi's laziness.

"I'll start working when Maxi does." Kyam retorted.

Akiho sighed and rolled her eyes. "Men. So immature I swear." She had gotten used to the childish behavior though. Over the years she developed a tough skin to keep the men in check. When it came to work, she took no nonsense. Akiho was a slender woman with a hint of lean muscular build on her. Her hair was shoulder length and of dark brown color. It wasn't surprising that most, if not all of the men onboard liked her. Those that were brave enough to express their fondness of her did. Unfortunately for them, she had eyes for the captain.

"If you want me to work so badly, get your captain out here." Kyam then put his feet up without any means to move. He was short, stubborn and hot-tempered. He didn't care who it was. Even if it was Maxi, he would still get fired up. If the ship had a hierarchy, he would put himself on top. Such confidence arose from being one of the first crew members on board. To further prove his point, Kyam coerced the rest of the crew to lay back and slack off.

"Guys! Come on! You're really going to listen to Second-in-Command here?" Akiho said in hopes to get the men to cooperate.

"Hey!" Kyam shouted out in anger.

"Ugh, get outta my way." Akiho said before shoving Kyam and walking up the stairs to Maxi's quarters. She pushed her hair behind her ears before giving the door a gentle knock. "Captain…" she sweetly said while letting herself into Maxi's room. "It's a beautiful day outside, and we could really use your help."

The captain appeared to have done his hair already, it was slicked back in its usual style. He was convinced that he was the only handsome one out of all of the men on his ship. That was true for the most part. He had angular features that drove the woman around town mad. His body was not bad either. He maintained good muscle mass despite how lazy he was.

Maxi was reading over some old entries from his father's journal. His father always wanted to travel outside of the country. All of the merchant work held them back. Maxi promised to live out his father's dream and explore. Life on the vessel will go through a complete flip. He had spent his free time mapping out the places they were going to visit. "Akiho, I am actually very busy this time."

"Oh really? With what?" Akiho tried to peek over Maxi's shoulder.

"It's a secret. I've got very big plans for us." Maxi said while hiding the documents under his arm. "I'm sure that you guys don't need my help."

"No? Do you know that we have double the shipments than we had yesterday? And that some of your men decided that since you aren't working, then they shouldn't either?" Akiho stated with a tone of annoyance in her voice. She hated to use that tone with him, but it had to be done.

Maxi sighed._ That's just like them. Well, after today that's going to change._ He thought to himself. Maxi put away what he was working on and walked with Akiho to the outer deck. He was irritated to see half of his crew lying around. "Men!" Maxi yelled out in a dignified manner.

Every slacker on the ship acknowledged him except for Kyam. The short man still had his feet up. "Would ya look who it is. Our ever so wonderful captain has finally come out for some fresh air." he gave Maxi a sarcastic smirk.

Maxi ignored Kyam's rude remark and proceeded to tell his crew the good news. "I actually have great news for you all. We don't have to work any longer."

A confused "what" came from the crew. All they did was merchant work, they knew no other life.

"What do you mean "we" you haven't done anything for the past week!? And what are you blabbering about?" Kyam spoke out to his sworn brother.

Maxi ran a few fingers through his jet black hair and laughed. "My friends, we are freelance pirates now."

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**Hi there. Please feel free to review, favorite and all that good stuff. Until next time :)**

**~soulspark**


	5. Forever Changed

Chapter 5: Forever Changed

"Freelance pirates?" Akiho questioned her captain. Everyone was hoping that Maxi was just going through a crazy phase.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that? Didn't you guys hear what I just said? We are freelancers now!" Maxi said with excitement. He expected that his crew would be relieved and glad about the news. Instead they just seemed shocked.

"Yeah we heard you. We just don't know what kind of alcohol you've been drinking lately." Kyam said while trying to keep in his laughter. There was a little rumble of laughter from the rest of the crew though. "Maxi, you're telling us to just drop everything that we are working on and just travel? Become pirates huh?"

"Right! You got the idea on your first try." Maxi replied mokingly. He was getting a little annoyed that the crew was hesitant.

"Honestly I don't know. What are we gonna do to get money to eat and buy things we want?" Kyam asked really wanting to hear Maxi's brilliant answer.

"There is treasure out there! We'll find the jackpot and we will never have to worry about needing money. And who's up for some bounty hunting? We give some guys a scare and money will come flowing in."

"So, we are gonna do someone's dirty work to survive?" Akiho challenged Maxi.

"Uh, yeah that sums it up pretty much. A real man does that kind of work. You are scared aren't you, Akiho?" Maxi challenged back with cockiness in his voice.

Everyone turned and looked at Akiho. She turned red from the embarrassment. "N-no I am not!"

Maxi walked over to her and got close. "Really? Looks like you're a little scared right now. I guess I was wrong about you guys being strong enough. The pirate life isn't for you guys. I was wrong..." he said trying to egg them on.

Akiho wasn't going to let Maxi best her. Akiho composed herself and looked Maxi in the eyes. "Are you forgetting that I was the one that saved your ass back in the day? This new life you are proposing is nothing! I'm in Maxi." She really hoped that this commitment wasn't going to comeback and bite her. "And I hope the rest of you guys are in too. Unless you are all chicken."

Collective sounds of "sure" and "why not" were heard from the men. If this meant getting out of work to go fight, they were in. Kyam though was the only one that didn't say anything.

"Kyam, you're outnumbered on this one. What do ya say?" Maxi asked.

The crowd settled down and Kyam had the floor. "Sure, side with the pretty boy why don't ya! Look, I just wanna let you know that I think this idea is stupid and I'm in." They all cheered.

"This is great men! Now that's what I'm talking about! We will start officially tomorrow... But first, let's celebrate!" Maxi said and threw up the symbol for drinking. The crew gathered together by a fire and had a good time.

Morning came and Maxi was the first one to wake up surprisingly. He wanted to visit his father's grave to tell him the good news. "Now where is that bottle?" he said as he looked around the ship's cellar. The bottle he was looking for was his father's favorite alcohol. Maxi always brings it to the grave when he visits. On a shelf above him was where the liquor resided. "Ah, there it is. Man it sure is tempting to drink this whole bottle right now." He exited the cellar with it and made sure to close the door softly so his fellow crew mates would not awaken. If he did wake them up, he would be bombarded by many angry men with hangovers. Carefully but quickly he made his way off the ship and headed for the burial yard.

All around were tombstones. Colorful flowers under them contrasted with them. It was a windy day and that showed with the grass swaying right and left. Maxi finally reached his father's grave and kneeled down. He poured a glass and set it under the tombstone. Then he bowed and smiled. "Father. I hope you've been alright up there. I'm sure you already know, but I wanted to tell you myself. The crew and I are freelance pirates now. It's what you always wanted right? To just sail the big blue without a care in the world and go on adventures? I hope you will guide us and protect us on the way." He then bowed his head again and took his leave. Heading back towards the ship he noticed some argument going on in the local bar. A man was thrusted out the door and he fell on his back.

"Don't come back here talking crazy nonsense!" Yelled a man that appeared to be the owner of said bar. Maxi went to the man's aid and helped him stand.

"You okay there? That guy's a bit of a prick so don't worry about it." Maxi said trying to sympathize with the man.

The gentleman had brown hair that stopped right at his shoulders and he wore a crystal necklace around his neck. There was also was a v shaped scar on his cheek. "That's quite alright. Thank you..."

"Maxi. It's no problem." He said with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Maxi. I am Kilik." And with that he extended his hand for Maxi to shake.

Maxi took his and and gave it a shake. "So what got you kicked out anyway?"

"Well the owner thought I was some mad man. I was just asking around about Soul Edge."

Maxi laughed a little. "You got me on that one. What is that?"

"It's a powerful sword capable of destroying life and even Earth." Kilik explained simply.

Maxi laughed more for that was the strangest thing he ever heard. "Really? Okay well when you find it, bring it back to me so I can see how much it's worth." Maxi joked. Just then, a scream was heard in the distance. The ground then vibrated periodically as if it were mirroring someone's steps. Maxi and Kilik dashed in the direction of commotion. As they got closer, the havoc was clear. The locals were running all about the place in search of shelter. Many were seen locking and barring their doors. A fire started in the mist of the chaos. _What the hell is going on here?_ Maxi thought to himself. His crew's whereabouts were also on his mind. Then Kilik's and Maxi's eyes stumbled upon an unfathomable sight.

The owner of those ground-shaking steps appeared to be a monster. It was abnormally tall and muscular. The unknown freak of nature held an axe like an executioner. There were screws and bolts driven throughout its body. It was seen choking people with one hand and discarding their bodies. Since the monster was coming from the harbor, Maxi feared that it attacked the ship. He was correct.

"I'll fend him off. Go search for survivors." Kilik said to Maxi before starting a battle with the monster.

Maxi charged for the ship. Please let there be survivors. Maxi thought to himself. When he reached, it was a terrible sight to see. Numerous familiar bodies lay on the deck. Some with body parts still in tact, and some there were some that were not fortunate. His crew laid in their own puddle of blood. There was so much that they could drown in it. Maxi wanted to mourn, but he didn't have time. He rushed to the upper deck to only find more lifeless bodies. One of those bodies happened to be Kyam, who was completely severed in half. After seeing that he turned his head away for he could not bare to see his sworn brother like that. He kneeled on the deck and cried. Those tears were interrupted by the sound of a muffled voice. He went in the direction of the voice. In one of the crew member's room was Akiho who was sitting up against the wall and holding her stomach.

"Akiho!" Maxi took his vest off and replaced her hand with it. He could see that the fabric got soaked pretty quickly with blood. "You're gonna be alright. Just keep your eyes open."

"It's... too late."

"No it's not! I can stop this bleeding!" Maxi said all panicked.

"It's okay. H-here, take this." Akiho said. She then rose her hand up to her neck and dragged on her necklace to pull it off. With the necklace in hand, she gestured for him to take it. With his freehand, Maxi took the necklace. She then placed her hand on his cheek delicately. "That's for you to remember me by. Thank you... for all... these y-years." Her eyes closed for the last time.

"No! Akiho wake up! Please..." Maxi trailed off and held her tight. She was gone. He felt dead inside knowing that he could have been here to help them. "I'm sorry." he said before gently releasing his grip on Akiho. He wanted to stay with her a little more, but he had to see how Kilik was holding up with the monster. Maxi headed outside and found Kilik having trouble with the battle. The monster was able to get around Kilik's attacks and got a hold of him. It threw him to the ground. Kilik could fight no more and he went unconscious. Maxi charged at the monster with his nunchaku in hand. He was able take a swipe at the monster's side. That hit was clear, but it didn't phase the freak one bit. Maxi continued to connect hits, but none did any damage. Feed up with Maxi's attempts, the monster grabbed hold of Maxi and slammed him to the ground. he felt the wind being knocked right out of him. Pleased with Maxi's expression of agonizing pain, it grinned. Hit after hit, Maxi felt helpless and was starting to feel that this was the end.

"How pathetic. Comeback when you learn how to fight Ant." The monster taunted before it picked him up and threw him into the river. The freak then ran off into the distance with haste. As Maxi sank into the river he could hear the monster's demeaning words. That carefree life on the seas was no more. His life of vengeance had begun.

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**I know it's been a while since I've wrote a chapter. It's kinda longer than I expected it to be. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. If you want, leave a review or favorite it. Thanks for reading :)**

**~soulspark**


	6. Time Spent

Chapter 6: Time Spent

Maxi had been taken away by the river. It was night fall now and he was fortunate to pass by a house. He mustered up enough strength to pull him self out of the river. A jolly old man named noticed Maxi off the river bank and he rushed to his aid. "Young man what have you been through today?" He said while grabbing Maxi's arm to pull him out. Maxi slipped in and out of consciousness until he finally blacked out.

_How could I let this happen? This is all my fault. I have to make up for it. I will devote my life to revenge._

He woke up from the beam of light that shown in. He rubbed his eyes and then looked around to see if this was a familiar place. The room was bare of furniture and it seemed to be used for storage mainly. Maxi tried to sit up from the bed but his attempt was quickly shot down by a singes of pain that he felt all over his torso. He took a look at his body to asses the damage. There were bandages wrapped all around his upper half. Some areas were spotted with blood. He could feel so many bruises and cuts. Just then he heard a knock on the door.

An old man slid the door back and came in with a tray of food. He had a short grey beard and medium length grey hair. He wore a tattered brown robe stained with some dirt. His eyes were full of wrinkles and he had laugh lines. "Good morning young man."

Maxi tried to bow his head the best that he could. "...Morning..."

"I saw you struggling in the river. No one ever comes by here so I knew something was wrong." The old man said while opening the bowls of food he prepared for Maxi. "I am Daichi. And your name young man?"

Maxi was having trouble speaking because his breathing was a little off. "M-Maxi."

"Nice to meet you. From the way you sound right now, it looks like you'll be here for sometime." Daichi said with a little chuckle. Those words were not what Maxi wanted to hear right now. He had to get out there and find that monster. Maxi didn't want to accept it but Daichi was right. His body was in no condition to go anywhere. Daichi took a bit of the rice he made and fed it to him. "I am sorry about the taste of its not to your liking. I've been alone so long that I've only cooked what I like." Daichi said jokingly.

Maxi wanted to tell him that the food was just fine, but the strength to do that wasn't there. Daichi gave him the last of the food and cleaned up the tray. "I'll leave you to sleep. You need all the sleep you can get. Once your bandages need changing, don't hesitate to call me." Daichi said before leaving the room with the tray. He closed the door behind him.

Maxi looked at the door and then looked up at the ceiling. Those gruesome images of his crew flashed in and out of his head, prompting a headache. With all of his injuries and that headache, his body responded by making him fall asleep. He needed to rest and avoid that day.

"Where do you want this Daichi?" Maxi asked. He was holding a large bag full of potatoes that he harvested.

"You've done so much today. Right there is fine thank you." Daichi said and then gestured to a spot in the garden. Maxi had been healing so well and he made it his goal to repay Daichi for his hospitality. He spent his days weeding out the garden, going into the village square to run errands, and tidying up the house. Maxi set the sack down where Daichi said and he asked him if there was anything else he could do for the day."

There's nothing else my boy. You've done everything. I don't have to work at all because of you." Daichi said in a joking manner. He told a bit of a pause and his tone changed to a more serious one. "Actually, there's one more thing you can do for me."

"Yes?" Maxi said with slightly raised eyebrows.

"You can take your things and leave."

Maxi felt like he hadn't replayed him enough. "Oh not yet Daichi, I haven't fully-"

"Yes, you have you need to leave. I'm a crazy old man that appreciates your help, but doesn't need it. I see how you wish to be back out there. You must have places to be or things to do huh?"

Maxi did have a thing to do. He had to get revenge. Maxi didn't answer Daichi's question though.

Daichi could see that Maxi wasn't going on purpose. "Young man are you avoiding something?"

Maxi sighed and looked at Daichi. "Well, I'm not necessarily avoiding it. I'm prolonging it." Maxi was sure that he had to get revenge, but he was unsure on where to start. His body had already had healed in two weeks, but he has stayed there for five. His time to leave was overdue.

"Ah, I see." Daichi said before he took off his gloves and took a seat. "You are uncertain of something. I'm not going to ask what it is, but I know that time waits for nothing and no one. So depending on how serious it is, it's up to you to take that step. For me, waiting around took my family. Don't let it pass."

"Daichi..."

"Go on son. Do what you have to do." Daichi said while looking up at him.

Maxi softly nodded. He understood Daichi's words. With the upmost respect, he bowed genuinely. "I understand sir. Thank you very much. I will go. I leave my regards to you and I pray that you will prosper."

"And I hope that you will be safe out there." Daichi replied.

"I will try my best to be. Farewell." With another bow Maxi smiled and grabbed his things from inside the house. He stepped out the door and then took one last look at Daichi. He smiled and waved. Daichi smiled back and waved back. The day was coming to an end and Maxi's journey was beginning. He headed for the docks to catch a ride back to the harbor where his ship was docked.

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**Thank you for reading. Feel free to leave a review. They can help me improve the story. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Bye until next time ?**

**~soulspark**


	7. Where?

Chapter 7: Where?

"Miss, so you're telling me to disclose information on a customer's request?" Asked a service man at the dock. Mina had been asking around at the docks to see if anyone remembered Yun-seong. She normally described him to be average height, with spiky hair, and carrying a decent sized sword. There were about three people that said they he was there, but where he went they had no clue. She then came across a worker that Yun-seong paid the fare to. The man had an idea of where he is. Getting that idea wasn't going to be so easy though.

"Sir, I understand your policies, but it's a life or death situation here. You wouldn't want to be responsible for that right?" Mina said trying to sway the worker.

"Really? If he's in trouble, you're his help?" The man said gesturing up and down at Mina.

Mina was highly offended, but she had to keep her cool for a chance to get him to spill the beans. She put on her soft, gentle voice. That voice was used on many men in the dojo to get her out of practice. It proved to be effective on them, so Mina figured that it would be the same for this man.

"Of course. I'm his noona you see, and I have to take care of him. If anything happens to him... well, I'll just be miserable. And that would be all _your_ fault." Mina said all cutesy. She also brushed her hair behind her ears to add that flirtatious touch.

The man was not fazed by her act. He moved down to her level a little bit, and said: "Nice try. Now run along, before someone catches you outside of your curfew."

Again his demeaning statement stung Mina. She didn't belong to anyone. There was only one option left to do - speak money. "Look, I'll pay you double what he did."

The worker quickly smiled and agreed. "Deal. Here..." He took out a large book and scanned through to find Yun-seong's name. Once the name was found, he turned the book around to show Mina. There was a time written and a location listed below his name.

"He went... to Japan? That's closer than I thought." Mina said. _Why Japan? _

"Yes that's great. The money?" The man asked with an extended hand. Mina took out her coin purse and paid double the fare. After that, the man guided her to a ship. Once they were all set, the ship began to head in the desired direction.

Seong Mina finally arrived in Japan. The port she came into was in Ryukyu Kingdom. She went inland to question people about Yun-seong. She also wanted to take that time to see what the country had to offer. Due to her father's protective nature, she was never allowed to travel outside of her homeland. There was a whole different feel to the place. It was very lively and busy. She went over to one of the venders to get some food. Mina wasn't too picky when it came to food, so she chose whatever looked good. She got some miso soup. Wow, this is great. So delicious. She thought while getting ready for another taste. After her belly was filled, she started to ask around for that troublesome friend. A man she asked said that he couldn't help her. Then another one said that he did see him there.

"Really? Where did you see him?" Mina asked kindly.

"He went into the inn. Maybe someone in there can help you." The man said while gesturing to the inn.

"Thank you sir." Mina said with a bow before heading in the inn's direction. When she got there, she was stopped by a lady selling flowers by the door. The woman was a cute old short lady. Her grey hair was braided and she had flowers throughout it.

"Hey miss. Come here, don't be shy." The woman called her over. Her station was a simple wagon, with vases of fresh flowers. Mina walked over to her. "What's a young lady like you doing here? You don't look native." The woman asked with a smile.

Mina told the truth. "I'm looking for a friend is all."

"I see wonder and adventure in your eyes. Something tells me that you'll be traveling all over the place. For that, you'll need good luck. Here," the woman said reaching into one of the vases. She pulled out a white, five pedal flower. "This, my dear is a Stephanotis. The ultimate symbol of good luck. It isn't just any flower though. It will not die until you no longer need its power." The woman handed Mina the flower.

"A magic flower. Thank you. I will always keep it with me on my journey." Mina replied with a bow. Then she took out a cloth and wrapped it around the flower and put it in her bag. She then turned around and went inside the inn. The inn was warm and cozy with a fireplace in the center. There were many tables in the place. Some reserved for eating and some for drinking alcohol. She headed straight for the the lady at the main desk. The woman looked seductive. She was of healthy build. Her robe was a little loose to show her cleavage and her hair was tied up so it didn't detract from her chest. "Excuse me miss, did you happen to service a man that is about this height?" She said while showing Yun-seong's height with her hand. "He has dark spiky hair and he carries a medium length sword."

"Sounds familiar miss. What's his personality like?" The woman asked.

"Well, he's an ass." Mina said simply.

The woman giggled a little. "Yeah I know that guy. He was here a few days ago. What was his name? Yu-yun..."

"Yun-seong?!"

"Yes! That's his name." The woman said with a snap.

"Where did he go?" Mina asked intently.

"He rented a room just for the night. I heard him talking to a swordsman. I only heard bits and pieces, but she told him about going southwest for something called "Soul Edge."

The information was a tad vague, but it was just enough for a start. _What's southwest of here?_ Mina asked herself.

Just then a man came into the inn. He had jet black hair that was slicked back, but he had a piece in the front that came down over his face. The theme of his attire was white and he had some hints of blue on his vest. On his thigh was a sheath that held nunchakus. "Nota, have you seen that monk that was here?" The man asked while striding over to the front desk.

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**Who is this mysterious nunchaku wielding man? I have no clue :p. Guys I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will be back with another one so stay tuned! Until next time :)**

**~soulspark **


	8. One Now Two

Chapter 8: One Now Two

"Well if isn't the town's eye candy. I haven't seen you since the attack. You okay honey?" The woman at the counter asked before drying a dish.

"Yeah I'm fine." Maxi didn't want to get into the details of his recovery. "Look, I know this was a while ago, but you're good with faces. A monk that carried a staff came in here. Have you seen him?"

"Monk? Gee, I don't know." The innkeeper replied trying to remember.

Maxi was trying to reach into his memory for the face. He was finding that a lot of things were difficult to remember since the attack. "He had a scar going across his cheek." That defining characteristic must have stood out to her.

"Scar... Hmm..." The lady trailed off.

Mina was just listening in on their conversation. Hopefully whoever he's looking for is in search of this "Soul Edge" too. She thought. The Korean woman tried not to appear nosy by digging into her bag pretending to look for something.

There must have been something else that Maxi could remember of the man. "His name was Kilik. He was talking about something called "Soul Edge." That was the weapon that Kilik and the monster were searching for. If Maxi could find Kilik, he could find "Soul Edge" and ultimately the freak.

"Well this young lady right here is looking for guy that is after that thing too." The woman said gesturing to Mina.

Maxi turned to Mina. "You are? Where's he heading?" He looked at her with hope in his eyes.

Startled by being brought into the conversation, she hesitated a little. "S-somewhere southwest of here."

Maxi looked up trying to visualize the map in his mind. "China, Taiwan, and The Philippines." The nunchaku wielding man said to himself. He then nodded in approval of the gained information and turned to Mina. "Thank you miss." He said with a short bow. In a rush, he said his good bye to the sultry woman at the counter and left.

_Okay now there's three places to look. Ugh, but which one do I go to first? _Mina thought to herself. She figured that she would just see which country the available ships where heading off to. With a smile she thanked the woman for her time and went out the door.

After the attack, the town had cleaned up the dead bodies. That included the ones on Maxi's ship. Maxi stopped and hesitated when he saw his vessel. He slowly walked to it and began to inspect. Stepping on the outer deck he saw flashes of where the bodies where. He felt his heart starting to race. The solo captain caught his breath and continued on. Each section of the ship he went to gave him sudden recollections of the gruesome day. Please make it stop. Just please. Maxi helplessly begged his body. He felt weak so he slid to the floor and took a seat. Maxi closed his eyes and took deep breaths, hoping to pass the images. After a few minutes went by, he felt his chest. His heart rate was back to normal. He opened his eyes and surveyed the area. The flashes were gone. He got back his strength and stood up. "Come on Maxi, you're good. There's no time to waste." He said to himself with a closed fist. With haste he exited the vessel and went to the docks. "Hey, put me down for a trip to Taiwan." Maxi said to a dockworker.

"Alright." The dockworker said with a nod. He opened his book and wrote down Maxi's request.

Maxi then went back to his ship to set everything for the journey. He tugged on the ropes to see if they needed changing. Sure enough they did because of the weather they experienced when he was healing at the old man's place. He went to the supply room on the in the lower deck to get the new ropes.

Meanwhile, Mina arrived at the docks and was asking the same dockworker for available ships to China, Taiwan, and The Philippines. "The closest departure would be best." She said to the man hoping for a positive response.

The dockworker flipped through his book. "China... gone, The Philippines... no..." He said while looking down the list. "Ah, there's one for Taiwan. Maxi's leaving soon. That first vessel down there might take you." He said pointing to the said vessel.

"Thank you sir." Mina said kindly before taking off for the ship. Just as she reached the vessel, she saw a man carrying ropes. She noticed that he was the same guy from the inn that was looking for the monk.

Seeing a woman's figure in his peripheral view, Mina caught his eye.

"Hey you're the guy from the inn." Mina stated.

"And you're the girl from the inn." Maxi replied wittily.

"Is there a guy named Maxi here?" Mina said looking around for the captain.

"You're talking to him." Maxi said while dropping the ropes he was carrying aside. He then began to unravel the current bindings on the sail.

"Oh, well nice to meet you." She smiled and extended her hand out to him. Stopping his unraveling, he turned to her and shook her hand. "I'm Seong Mina. Since you and I are looking for this "Soul Edge" thing, we should travel together."

Maxi was really planning on going alone, but this was an opportunity to get more information. There was a possibility that she could slow him down too, so he was unsure. Not to mention that if she got involved he could be responsible for anything that happens to her. "Sorry but I'm gonna go this alone."

Mina didn't want to hear that. Maxi most likely was her only way to gathering more clues and skipping the hassle of finding transportation. "By going together, we can find this thing faster. And find who we are looking for." She said trying to sway his decision. _Please just say yes, I don't want_ _to have to resort to the cutesy act._ Mina prayed.

Maxi was seriously contemplating the choice. If we are gonna catch this freak we have to be fast. It already has a head start. He told himself. Maxi looked at Mina. She looked like she could hold her own, but again, he wasn't sure.

Just then a woman cried out for help. "Help! That man took my money! That's my life's savings!" The woman was dressed in rags and was pointing in the direction of the thief. Mina quickly ran after the criminal with her zanabutu in hand.

Maxi was shocked. He didn't expect her to go after the man. "Hey! Wait up!" Maxi called out to Mina. He took out his weapon as well and followed them.

Mina was very fast. She caught up to the man in no time. The thief couldn't believe that she was right behind him. Once she was a good distance, she did a half turn and forced a horizontal strike. The hit connected, and it threw the man off his feet to the left. Determined to get away, the thief quickly regained his footing. Not quick enough though, because Mina hit him again with a horizontal strike. That hit was harder and it completely floored him. To keep him still for the authorities, she locked his arm with her zanabutu. The man responded to the hold with a cry of pain.

Maxi witnessed the whole victory and had a grin on his face. When the authorities did arrive, they praised Mina for her skills. "Miss, you saved us so much trouble. We can't thank you enough." The head of the authorities told her while handing her the stolen money to return.

"It was no trouble sir." She replied with a respectful bow. Mina then looked around for the victim of the thievery. "Here you go ma'am. Please be safe." She said handing the woman back her coin purse.

"Bless you dear. Thank you so much."

Mina nodded and kindly bid the lady good bye. She dusted off her hands and looked around for Maxi. Her eyes found him a few feet away from her. He had his arms crossed and was leaning against one of the docks supports. "Now back to what I was saying-" she was interrupted by him holding out a green wooden bracelet to her.

"You dropped this."

During the ordeal the bracelet slipped right off of her right hand. Thankfully Maxi noticed it and brought it back to her. It was the bracelet that was given to Mina by her mother who is now deceased. If anything happened to it, Mina would just die.

"Oh my! I can't believe I almost lost it! Thank you!" Mina thanked him, relieved.

"Welcome. And welcome aboard." Maxi replied still with a grin.

Mina was shocked by his last sentence. "What?"

"I said welcome aboard." He repeated with a full smile this time.

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**I hope you wonderful people liked this chapter. So their quest as two finally begins. If you want , let me know how you guys are liking it so far with a review. See you guys till next time :)**

**~soulspark**


	9. Settling In

Chapter 9: Settling In

Maxi walked Mina over to the lower deck where his crew's quarters were. It was a long, dark hallway with three doors on each side. All the way at the end of the hallway was a single door. They continued to walk until they reached that solo door. Maxi reached into his back pocket to pull out the master key for the door. He took a deep breath and slowly opened the door, hoping that he wouldn't get any flashbacks. The door creaked. Maxi walked over and opened the window to air the place out. Looking around the room Mina concluded that whoever lived here was neat. The room was pretty empty minus some books laid out here and there on the side tables.

"Here you are. This is where you'll be staying. It's one of the more well-kept rooms, so it should be comfy." Maxi said gesturing at the room.

"This will be fine thanks. Where do I unpack my things?" Mina asked surveying the room.

"In here," He said while opening the wardrobe in the back of the room. "There are some fresh towels in the closet out in the hallway. And if you need me, I'll be on the top deck. Sounds good?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. See ya tomorrow." Maxi said heading for the door.

He was almost out the doorway when Mina realized that she forgot to tell him something. "Oh and Maxi,"

"Hmm?" Maxi stopped and turned to her.

"Thanks for letting me tag along." Mina said with a sweet smile. Her head was tilted a little to the side. It was a habit that she never noticed.

For a second he got a glimpse of her beauty. His eyes found the crescent shaped that her eyes made when she smiled. They also followed the laugh lines that framed her mouth. With that charming smile, Maxi couldn't help but smile back. "No problem." And with that he exited the room.

Mina nodded and began to unpack. She took out her night clothes from her bag. Mina laid the one that she was going to wear for that night on the bed. It was her favorite green silk gown. _I wonder how long I'm going to be out here. My father is going to kill me when I get home I know it._ Mina thought to herself. Even though she was going to be in a whole lot of trouble, she was excited for this journey. She was finally getting out into the world and out of that dojo. Hwang and her father were nowhere to pester her about her responsibilities too.

Maxi opened the door to his quarters. Everything in his room was intact. All his documents were just where he left them that day. He sighed and began to put them away. He had a lot of cleaning up to do, due to all of his preparations to be pirates. After he finished tidying up, he searched for his maps. "Let's see. Are you… here?" he whispered to himself as he lifted a lid off of a vase. "Nuh uh." He walked over to one corner of his room. This corner was called the Junk Pile, for everything that didn't have a place was thrown there. There was a tall vase hidden under the pile. "Ah, come here." He said as he cleared the way to get it. Just like he predicted, the maps were in the said vase. He got one out and laid it on his desk. Then he marked their location and where they were going.

Back in Mina's room, she was still unpacking her things. She was done with her clothes. The wardrobe was full. She moved to the nightstand and began clearing it off. There were four books varying in size. She took a look at the titles, but they looked boring. One small book caught her eye. It was a brown leather-back book with the words: "My Diary" on the front of it. _Mina no. It's not yours. How would you like it if someone read your diary? Come on, put it away._ She scolded herself before placing it in the nightstand's draw with the other books. Digging into her bag, she took out some valuables like her circlet, bracelet, and her diary. Then she neatly laid them out on the nightstand. Looking at her diary she wondered if she should write in it. _It's the start of your first adventure away from home. Why not? _She reached into her bag for some ink and her handy fine brush. Removing her diary from its new place of rest, she opened it and began to write.

_Diary,_

_It actually happened. I ran away. Hey I can feel you judging me. It's to get Yun-seong back okay? Don't be so difficult. Anyway, I'm out here on my own. Well I shouldn't say "on my own" because I'm not. This guy named Maxi is with me. Ugh, don't give me that look Diary. I know I just met him. And yes, I remember what my father said: "Don't talk to strangers." He doesn't look crazy so I think I can trust him. But, I will be locking my door at night. I will definitely have to get to know him better. So far I know his name and that he isn't sexist. I hope that he isn't nutszo though._

_So let me give you a recap of my day. Well, I arrived in Japan early in the morning. I asked around for that idiot and then I was stopped by an old lady –_

Remembering the flower that was giving to her, she halted her writing and searched in her bag. She pulled out the cloth that she wrapped it in. It still held its bright, pure white color. The stem was a lively green. It seemed to be unaffected by the lack of sunlight and water. "Alright flower, I'm starting to believe that you're magical." Mina said with a grin to the Stephanotis. She then wrapped it up again and put it in her bag. Remembering that she was writing her entry, she then returned to the bed and picked up her diary.

_that gave me a magical flower. It seems real, and I hope it is. I'm going to need all the luck I can get. You have faith in me right Diary? No? Well I don't care what you say anyway. Taiwan is our first stop. I can just see it now Diary. All the beautiful landscapes, fast bustling people… wait… I just remembered that I'm not there to sight-see. I'll be a instigating instead. Damn it Diary. Anyway, I'll try to make the most of it._

_~ Till next time._

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**Hi readers. This chapter was a little anti-climatic I know. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I have more on the way. Like always feel free to leave a review, favorite, or follow the story :)**_  
_

**~soulspark**


	10. A Common Like

Chapter 10: A Common Like

After her entry was finished, Mina laid down on the bed and took a deep breath. She laid in silence for a minute to think. _Okay Mina, you are miles away from home. You are still alive and you haven't had anything stolen from you. So far everything has been going smooth._ As she thought that, she felt a hint of fear. Though she was optimistic about this journey, she knew she wasn't going leave without a scratch. She took another deep breath and sighed. _I really hope that I can bring that idiot back in one piece. _Bored, Mina decided to search the room some more. Her eyes came across the many books in the bookshelf. She picked up one black book entitled "Strength, a Necessity." It appeared to have been read often, for the pages experienced some creasing. Flipping through the pages she read little parts of it. The book seemed to be some sort of guide. It outlined tips for being stronger and the reasons why it was important. One segment caught her eye. It read:

_Number 21 – Strength Promotes Happiness._

_Happiness is obtainable from many acts. Maybe one receives happiness from aiding others. Perhaps from spending time with loved ones and kin. No matter the source it can come to you. However, that pleasure is easy to be lost. With weakness and vulnerability, one can lose happiness for a lifetime. The constant obstacles that emerges in life will offer no avail if you let it… _

Mina became glued to this book for it spoke to her. Even though she took no bull from anyone on the outside, she was truly a weakling inside. As a woman she found it hard to be strong. With forced marriage and male superiority, she was constantly being put down. She read on in amazement. Busy with the book she paced around the room while she read. She continued that action for five minutes until she remembered that she could sit.

Not taking her eyes off of the page, she sat down at a desk in front of the bedroom window. Rays of light darted though the window, offering an ample amount of visibility for Mina. While she read she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes. The sunlight from the window illuminated a shiny object on the desk. Reaching over to her left, she examined it. It was a glazed clay comb. Blue intricate patterns were painted along the handle. Lines crisscrossed and intersected and various points. The design then faded to dark green color as it went further up the comb. Above where the teeth of the comb started, there was name engraved. "Akiho."

Maxi walked along the railings of his ship, reminiscing on the countless memories. He felt the little dips and chips the wood had from excessive use. Ghost images of his crew members rustling about flowed through his mind. He walked over to a seat next to the main sail. That was Kyam's spot. He saw his sworn brother lying there with his feet kicked up on the same barrel. Then of course he saw Akiho run down the stairs and scold the lazy man. Maxi smirked a little at the sight. That smirk sadly faded along with the image of his beloved crewmates. He then preceded to walk back up to the upper deck to catch the sunset.

Losing the light to an orange glow, Mina put a pause to her reading and folded the page she was on. She put the book aside on the desk and glanced over to the comb again. _Akiho huh? I wonder where she is. _Being a fan of the sunset, she decided to go out and watch it. Not noticing Maxi on the deck above her, she walked all the way to the edge of the front deck. In awe of the beautiful water-bound sunset, she leaned against the railing and sighed. Maxi stayed quiet so he wouldn't disturb her. She then closed her eyes as she felt the breeze. Not wanting to miss too much of the view, she opened her eyes and continued to stare at the natural beauty. _It's so pretty on the water_. Mina thought. Since her head was slightly turned to the side, Maxi was able to see how nicely the glow showed her beauty. He studied her for a moment, looking at the soft curves her face had. Just like him, she seemed to share the same love for the setting sun. _Looks like we have something in common. _Maxi thought to himself. "Not a bad view huh?" Maxi asked as he walked down to the stairs.

"Huh? Oh, um yeah. It really is." Mina replied caught off guard.

"It's the best part of the day."

"Yes it is. It makes everything bad just-"

"Go away?" Maxi interjected.

"Yeah." She said with a little giggle.

"Well, I'm gonna head in now. You should get some rest too. Sleep well."

"Okay and thanks, I will." Mina said with a gentle smile.

Maxi smiled and nodded back. He then turned around and headed up the stairs to his quarters. Mina watched him as he went. She got a nice view of his backside. _Nice ass. _She naughtily thought to herself with a grin.

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**I think Maxi in Mina will get along nicely lol. Like always, please feel free to review, favorite, and follow this story. Until next time :)**

**~ soulspark**


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